The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for releasably securing an object to a substantially planar surface. More particularly, the present invention is useful for clamping a computer game controller such as a joystick or steering wheel to a desktop surface.
In computer gaming for personal computer (PC) systems, it is common practice to provide specialized or dedicated user interface controllers such as joysticks or steering wheels to supplement and improve the computer gaming experience provided by keyboard control alone. In some embodiments, these additional computer game controllers are free floating, hand-held devices, which the user holds to control game play on a computer screen. In other embodiments, it is desirable to secure the computer game controller to a stable surface such as desktop or table surface. Computer game peripherals such as a steering wheel controller are particularly suited for clamping to such a fixed surface since both hands of the user are typically required to grip the steering wheel and/or operate associated controllers such as gear shifters and the like.
Experience has shown that conventional devices used to secure these game controllers to a desktop or table surface are often unable to provide adequate anchoring force to withstand the rigors of vigorous user interaction. Furthermore, some of these conventional clamping devices are unable to be secured to tables or desks having a substantial lip located along an outer edge of the desktop. For example, the lip on the desktop may be of such size that a clamp when fully extended or opened will still be unable to engage the lip or desktop. More often, as shown in FIG. 1, the controller may only be able to clamp to the limited surface area provided by the lip along on the outer edge of the desk, which provides insufficient mechanical advantage to adequately secure the game controller to the desktop during vigorous game play. Additionally, it is advantageous in certain situations to have the contact surface of the clamp engaging a portion of the desk which is not readily visible so that any damage that may occur to the desk by the clamping will not occur at a location that will cosmetically blemish the desktop.
Accordingly, it is thus desirable to provide improved clamping devices which can more adequately secure the games controller to a desktop. It would also be desirable to provide an improved design so that the controller may be adapted to fit a wider variety and selection of desktops and table surfaces.